Julian Barnes wins over readers with a conversation about humour, literature and the human condition

The British author reflected on his relationship with readers, the possibility of retirement and living with illness.

On 28 June, BABELL hosted one of the most anticipated events of its programme with the appearance of British author Julian Barnes. Speaking before an audience of 1,200 people, Barnes took part in a conversation with Richard Zimler that balanced humour with thoughtful reflections on literature, time and life. Readings from his work were performed by Rui de Noronha Ozorio.

Throughout the session, Barnes proved to be an engaging and approachable speaker, moving effortlessly between wit and deeply personal reflections. One of the topics he addressed was his relationship with readers, rejecting any notion of distance between writer and audience. "I am on exactly the same level as my readers," he said.

He also revealed that he still replies to letters from readers, adding with characteristic humour that he answers "the nicer ones".

Literature naturally remained at the heart of the discussion. Barnes spoke about the influence of William Shakespeare on his writing, describing the English playwright as one of the defining influences on his literary career and on the way he approaches storytelling.

The conversation also focused on his latest book, Partida, which Barnes suggested could be the last of his career. He explained that the decision had come naturally. "The machine was slowing down," he said.

With the calmness that characterised the entire session, Barnes conveyed the sense that every creative journey has its own rhythm, accepting the possibility of bringing to a close a literary career that has produced some of the defining works of contemporary literature.

One of the most moving moments came when Barnes spoke openly about being diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer. He recalled asking the nurse during his medical examinations, "Is my cancer incurable?" The reply has stayed with him ever since: "It isn't curable, but it is manageable." It was then, he explained, that he found a metaphor that changed the way he thought about both illness and existence itself: "It's like life."

The session ended on an emotional note. Addressing the audience, Barnes left them with a final message that was met with sustained applause: "When I look at this audience, I see the future of humanity."

It was a fitting conclusion to a conversation that moved effortlessly between lightness and depth, humour and vulnerability, confirming Julian Barnes as one of the leading voices in contemporary literature.